Monthly Archives: September 2013

A Divide Like None-Other

Posted on by
1

“Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it.”

“Poverty in India is widespread, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. In 2010, the World Bank reported that 32.7% of the total Indian people fall below the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day (PPP) while 68.7% live on less than US$ 2 per day.” And, even more shocking, 96.9% live off of less than five dollars a day. “The latest UNICEF data shows that one in three malnourished children worldwide are found in India, whilst 42% of the nation’s children under five years of age are underweight.” The rich here are astonishingly rich, but unfortunately, the poor here are just as poor.

Continue Reading…

All in Your Head

Posted on by
2

“The advantages? Exercise, no parking problems, gas prices, it’s fun. An automobile is expensive. You have to find a place to park and it’s not fun. So why not ride a bicycle? I recommend it.”

How is it that 20km of flat can be harder than 40km straight uphill? Because cycling is a mental game. Most five year olds can happily ride their bike around the block, and touring really isn’t that different. Sure, you are doing a few more kilometers, and hopefully can cycle a bit faster than them, but it’s the same simple motion. It is always possible to turn your pedals just one more time. Sometimes though, that one push seems much harder than others.

Continue Reading…

Home Sweet Home

Posted on by
1

“A child on a farm looks up at the sky at the passing airplane and dreams of far away places. The man on the airplane looks down at the farm and dreams of home.”

20130915-132034.jpg

After working in the field with the ladies, we headed back to one of their house’s for tea. The house was absolutely perfect. Downstairs was for the cows, including a week old baby cow who was one of the cutest animals I have ever encountered. Then upstairs consisted of one room with a bed and some cushions on the floor to hang out on. There was no clutter, in fact, besides a few blankets, there was nothing. Up from there (after the most amazing tree stairs I have ever seen) was the kitchen. Outside the second story there was a balcony where some food was kept, and some clothes were hanging to dry. The house was small and cozy, and unlike most houses in the west, this house had character. It truly felt like a home.

Continue Reading…

A Day in the Fields

Posted on by
1

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”

20130915-112503.jpg

Today was the perfect example of why I travel. In the morning, with an English friend I met a few weeks ago in Leh, I headed up into the hills in order to meet six local women who were working in the field. The English gal had met them yesterday as they worked, and had promised to come back and help for the afternoon. We spent the day helping these ladies cut grass and plants that are then dried and stored as food for their cows in the winter. The work was all done by hand, with small machete like knives, and I think my knees and back will feel it tomorrow after spending the day squatting. Though it was hard work, the women laughed and gossiped like girls anywhere, and took many tea breaks in order to make the day more enjoyable. A few of these women were sisters, and the others, (my guess) were relatives of some kind. They were extremely friendly, and though only one spoke a few words of English, we had a great day laughing and working together.

Continue Reading…

When Life Comes Crashing Down

Posted on by
4

“Nostalgia in reverse, the longing for yet another strange land.”

Most people with tonsillitis get over it within a week. Mine, of course, lasted longer. Then instead of disappearing with the antibiotics I was prescribed (which, by the way, didn’t work), the infection spread. I ended up with swollen gums, open lesions, and a very painful case of gingivitis. I spent two weeks, stuck in a tourist town, unable to cycle. During this time, the temperature started to drop, the snow appeared in the mountains, and my time to spend weeks cycling through the Indian Himalayas came to a close- before it had even started. Then, to make matters worst, the infection in my mouth increased to the point where I couldn’t eat anything (besides a banana lassi).

Continue Reading…

The Highest Marathon in the World: 3380km

Posted on by
3

“Everything’s impossible until somebody does it.”

20130909-135304.jpg

For those of you who think I’m a bit crazy, listen to this. Starting from Leh, the town I have been stuck in while sick, there is a half-marathon, marathon, and even crazier, a 72 km ultra marathon that runs up and down the highest pass (5,600m). Sure, there was part of me that wanted to do it, but besides being sick and untrained, I struggle to comprehend just how these amazing athletes are able to run, any distance, never mind an ultra marathon, at this altitude. It was mostly Indians (especially locals), though there were a few westerners as well. It was great fun watching them finish, and then, true to India, the whole area turned into a giant dance party! I have a few great videos from the dancing, but, I can’t figure out how to upload them (I am not quite as tech savvy as I should be considering I grew up in the “Age of Technology”), so for now, you will just have to settle for a few pictures.

Continue Reading…

A Ride Through the Sunset: 3380km

Posted on by
1

“The greatest part of life is to go to places you’ve never been before, and to live dangerously.”

20130907-152323.jpg

As I was sitting outside a cafe chatting with friends, two motorbike touring fellows I had briefly met on the way to Turktuk ask me if I wanted to ride up part of the pass with them in order to watch the sunset above the city. Motorcycle ride and a sunset, of course!

Continue Reading…

Sick as a Street Dog: 3380km

Posted on by
4

“The most poetical thing in the world is not being sick.”

In addition to my lovely pounding headache and fever, I have now acquired a very swollen sore throat and a pretty intense ear ache. After lying in bed withering every time my pain meds started to run low, I figured it was time to check out the Ladakhi medical system. Though the “senior doctor” was out, I was able to see his “junior”, whatever that entitles. In any case, he was a sixty year old manwho knew how to put the batteries in the apparatus to look down my throat, and see that my tonsils were extremely enflamed with white bumps covering them. He proceeded to prescribe me an antibiotic (amoxicillin) and told me not to eat hard foods (even swallowing water at this point is very painful so I will definitely be heeding this piece of advice).

Continue Reading…

Books and Bed: 3380km

Posted on by
2

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”

20130906-095953.jpg

Well unfortunately my cycling had been postponed a few days because the morning I was set to leave, I came down with a fever. At first I was frustrated, I wanted to be on my bike again, camping, out of the city of Leh which is such a tourist hub. I realized though, that attempting to cycle up a pass with a pounding headache and fever is just about impossible. My health is crucial to this trip as I am relying on myself, and only myself, to get me from place to place, and with three years of open road ahead, I guess taking a few extra days off really isn’t that bad. So I decided to look on the bright side and spend a few solid days reading great books, and listening to interesting podcasts. For the first few days it was nice, like a little vacation in a vacation. I thought I would have ample time to read everyday throughout this trip, but bike touring has turned out to be a full time job (in the best way possible) so it was nice to have a few days to get some reading in. By day three though, I was sick of always being too hot or cold due to my fever, and I wanted nothing more than to get rid of my constant pounding head ache.

Continue Reading…